Automatic air-brake coupling.



No. 894,127. l PATBNTBD JULY 21 l A.-s.-E,1VA1\1Si v AUTMA-TMAIR BRAKEGOUPLING.

APPLICATION IILED MAR. 11. 1908.

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ARTHUR S. EVANS, OF ARVONIA, KANSAS.

AUTOMATIC AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 21, 1908.

Applcationrled March 11, 1908. Serial No. 420,417.

'provements in Automatic Air-Brake Coup- 1ngs, ofl which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic air brake couplersand couplers of a like character designed for use upon railway cars forconnecting the ends of fluid conductors upon the proximate ends of theears of a train, the main obj ect of the invention being to provide asimple and efficient type of coupler which will be normally maintainedin proper coupling position, which is adapted in operation to haveuniversal motion to conform to the motion of the cars, which is providedwith means for securing an eiicient cushioning action during the couling operation, in which provision is ma e for holding the coupling headagainst independent motion when uncoupled, and in which the airfeedvalve therein will be automatically opened and closed when the couplingis respectively engaged with and disengaged from the coupling of'another car.

Viith the foregoing and other important objects in view, the inventionconsists of the features of construction, combination and. `arrangementof parts `hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the proximate ends of two coupledrailway cars equipped with my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe connected airbrake coupling shown in Fig. 1,'the outlines of the carbodies bein indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is avertica longitudinalsection'through. one of the automatic couplers. Fig. 4 is aperspectiveview of the coupling head thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 1 and 2 respectivelyT designatethe proximate ends of two coupled cars equipped withI my invention, and3 and 4 designate, respectively, in a general mannerthe air brakecoupling devices carried thereby, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, arecoupled to c'onneet the train pipe sections 5 upon the cars with eachother.

Each automatic coupling device comprises a coupling head 6 having abeveled abutting face 7 to engage the reversely beveled face of acoacting coupling, it being understood that the heads at opposite endsof a car have their upper and lower surfaces respectively beveledrsothat the beveled faces of opposing 'couplings upon the proximate ends ofcars will mate and iit snugly together. Each coupling head is alsoprovided with lateral stop shoulders 8 for an obvious purpose and with ayoke or strap 9 overhanging its bevel face to receive and engage theouter face of the coupling engaged therewith, thus providing for theirictional engagement of coupler heads tight enough to prevent leakageof air and yet loose enough to permit the heads to separate upon theuncoupling and movement apart of the cars. Each coupler head isformedwith a longitudinal bore opening through the bevel face thereof and inwhich is iitted a rubber tube or lining 10, which projects slightlybeyond the bevel face to form a sealing disk or portion 11 which onengaging the corresponding disk of another coupler will form anair-tight connection therewith to obviate all liabilityoiI the leakagethrough the coupler heads of the air flowing from car to car through thetrain pipe.

The coupler head is connected by an externally threaded bushing tube 12with the forward end of a tubular shank comprisingV two sections 13 and14 detachably connected by an interposed threaded bushing tube 15,

'between which and the section 13 is inserted suitable packin 16 torevent leakage of air at the joint. T e shan 1 section 13 is formed withan inlet tube or nozzle 16 connected by a .rubber tube or hose 17 withthe train ipe 5, and the lower or inner end of said nozz e isincoininunication with the feed bore or passage ici-ined by the tubes 10and 12, at the inner Vend of which bore or passage is an elastic valveseat 18 for the 'automatic check valve 19 which is normally closed tovrevent the escape of airthrough such feed oore or passage. The rear end.of the shank section 16 carries a partially spherical head or ball 20which fits and turns within a' socket 21 mounted upon the forward end ofa tubular vdraw-bar 22, which is inovably mounted upon the car in amanner hereinabove described. The socket. 21 is preferably constructedof sections suitably united to retain the head therein, and carries anoil cup or lubricating device 22 to keepthe surfaces of said artsthoroughly' lubricated. The stein 23 ofp the check valve 19 extendsrearwardly through the coupling 15 into the shank scc.- tion 14 andterminates lwhen the valve is closed adjacent' the forward end o acylinf drical bore or passage 24 in the head 20, in rear of which boreor passage said head is formed with a flared socket or recess 25. A coilspring 26 is disposed about the stem 23 between an adjusting nut 27thereon and the coupling member 15 and tends to force .the

` check valve open.

The shank 22. is slidably mounted for movement longitudinally of thecarin a yoke shaped guide ilraine 28 having a cross piece 29, the shankbeing movable in said cross piece and the front cross piece of saidframe. The frame is connected at its forward end with a bracket 3l vandat its rear end with a bracket 32 secured to and depending from thebottom oi the car, which brackets are reinforced by suitable inclinedbraces 33. The rear portion of the shank is reduced to form a seat for acoiled cushioning spring 34 bearing at one end against the cross piece29 and at its other end against a washer or shoulder 35 on the shank.This spring normally holds the shank projected forwardly to the normall-imit of movement of the coupler, which position it occupies whendisengaged from another coupler, and in which position the valve 19 isclosed against the passage of air between the coupler head and train pie.

When the coupler is engaged by anot erv coupler and forced back, thespring absorbs the shock of impact and maintains the coupler undertension, so that the heads or the two couplers will be held iirmly incontact.

A valve controlling rod 36 extends through the shank and normallyoccupies the position shown in Fig. 3, in which its forward end occupiesthe bore 24 in the head 20 and abuts against the rear end of the stem23. The rear end of the rod is forked, as at 37, and carries a pin 38which has a loose pivotal engagement with the upper end of a lever 39,which lever is lulerumed at its lower end on a fined pin 40 carried byan arm 4l attached to the bracket 32. 'lhe lever forms a shifting motiontransferring connection between the rod and shank, and to this end has aloose pivotal connection between its pivotal points 38 and 4() with apivot pin 42 carried by a yoke 43 having a threaded stem 44, whichpasses through one end of an arm 45 adjustably secured thereto byretaining nuts 46, the other end of said arm having a threadedengagement with the rear'end of the shank 22 and being secured thereonby a retaining nut 47. 'lhe lever .59 normally stands in the in clinedposition shown in Fig. 3, in which its upper end lies in advance of itslower end, and is adapten to swing rearwardly to the substanl iallyvertical dotted line position when the shank ol the coupler slidesrearwardly l'rom the impact and pressure of another coupler in thecoupling operation, in which action the movement ol` the shank will betransmitted to an accelerated degree to the rod 36, by which theautomatic opening ofthe valve 19 will be permitted for the low of luidthrough the joint coupling heads and to and between the air brakesystems of the cou led cars.-

rom the foregoing description, it will be apparent that in the ,normalposition of the parts the feed valve will be held closed by the rod 36against the pressure of the spring 26, while the forward end of said rod36 occupy# ing the bore 24 will lock the head 2O from movement in thesocket 21, th'us maintaining the head 6 in position to be engaged by thecoupler on another car. When thehea'd 6 is forced back by the othercoupler to the eX tent permitted by the spring 34, the shank 22 willtransmit motion through the connections 43 and 45 to the lever 39, whichin turn through the greater range of motion of its upper end willtransmit through the connections 37 and 38 an increased degree ofrearward motion te *he rod 36. As a result, the forward end oi' the rodwill move out of the bore 24 into the flared recess or socket 25, thuspermitting the coupler head to have universal motion to accommodateitself to the movements of the cars, while at the same time upon thepressure of said rod on the stem 29 .being relaxed the spring 26 willopen the valve 19, thus opemngcommunication between the feed passages ofthe two connected couplers and the train ipes on the cars. When the carsare uncoup move out of engagement the spring 34 restores the coupler tonormally forwardly rojected position and thus projects the ro 36 intointerlocking engagement with the head 20 and to force the valve closedagainst the resistance of its opening spring.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In an automatic air brake coupler, the combination of alongitudinally movable shank, a coupler head having a pivotal connectiontherewith and rovided with a feed passage, an automatica y opening valvecontrolling said passage, a cushioning spring for permitting rearwardmovement of the shank and returning the same to normal position, a valvecontrolling member normally arranged to hold said valve closed and thehead from pivotal movement, and means for rendering said memberinoperative upon the rearward movement of the coupling.

2. In an automatic' air brake coupler, a rearwardly yielding shankhaving means for returning it to normal position, a head pivotallyconnected therewith and provided with a feed passage, an automaticallyopening valve controlling said passage, a movable member l'or normallyholding the valve closed and the head from )ivotal movement, and ineansoperated by the recession of the shank from normal to coupling positionto render said member inoperative.

In an automatic air brake coupler, a

ed and the heads 6 projecting said rod.

longitudinall movable coupler, means for cushioning t e rearwardmovement of said o'oupler and returning the same to normal position,said coupler having a feed assage, a device for normally holding the va`ve closed, and means operated by the rearward movement of the couplerfor rendering said device inoperative.

4. ln an automatic air brake coupler, a s ring controlled lon itudinallymovable s ank, a head ivotaily connected therewith and provi ed with afeed assa e, a lookin device' for -holding the liead. rom pivotalmovement, an automatically opening feed valve controlling said passage,means whereby in the backward and forward movements of the shank thelookin` device Will be retracted and projected an the valve permitted toopen in such rear- Ward movement.

5. In an automatic air brake coupler, the combination of a lonitudinally movable shank, a head pivoted t ereto and provided with afeed assage, a spring for cushionin the rearward movement of the shankand returnin the' same to normal position, an automatically openingvalve controlling said passage, a rod for normally locking the head frompivotal movement and holding. the valve closed, and means operated bythe movements or the shank for retracting and in an automatic air brakecoupling, y combination of a movable shank, a spring for' cushioning therearward movement of said shank and returnin position7 a head pivota'llgmounted upon the shank and provided with a feed passage, an automaticaly op'enin valve controlling said passage, arod carrie 'mally holdingthe head from pivotal movement and the valve from opening) movement, andan operative connection etween the shank and rod, .whereby in therearward movement of the rod the shank Willv be4 adjusted to aninoperative osition.

7. ln an automatic air combination of a movable shank, a 'spr' for,oushonin the rearward movement said shank' and returning the sometonormal position, a head vpix'fotally mounted upon the shank foruniversal movement and with a feedi passage, 'an automatica ing valve;=controlling said passage, a rod carried b the shank or normally holding.the rom pivotal movement and the valve movab the same to normal.v

by the shank for nor' rake coupling, the' rovided ly openfrom openingmovement, and a lever connected With the shank and rod and operated uponthe rearward and forward movements of the shank to move the rod toinoperative position and to restore it to operative position.

8. In an automatic air brake couplino, a movable spring cushioned shank,a cou ing head pivotally connected therewith and provided With a feedpassage, an'automatically openingn valve controlling said passage, a emember for normally locking the head from pivotal movement and holdingthe valve from opening, and a variable movement connection between theshank and member for adjustinfr said member to an inoperative positionin ment of the shank and restoring it to opera` tive osition upon theforward movement or" the s ank.

y' 9. .In an automatic sliding tubular shank,

the r arward moveair brake coupling, a a spring iorf maintaining thesame in normal position and per mittin rearward movement-thereof, a headpivots ly connected with the shank and provided With a feed passage, anautomatically o ening valve controlling said siding rod movable in theshank to noie mally look the head from pivotal movement and hold thevalve from opening, and oon.- necting means between the shank and rodfor retracting said rod upon the rearward movement of the shank.

il). ln van automatic air brake coupling, a tubular shank` having asocket, a couplinp head having a portion mounted for universal movementin the socket and provided 'with a 'iced passale, an automaticallyopening 'valve eontroingpsaid assage, a rod end: Wise movable" in the shto engage and hold the head from pivotal movement and the valve fromopening movement, a spring for maintainirig the s ank in normalposition' and' ermittim, rearward movement thereof, an a pivote u allyconnecting .the rod and shank to oommunicate accelerated rearwardmovement to the rod upon a corresponding movement of the shank.lil-testimony .vhereoil l ailiz in presence o two witnesses.

. @Viti TS.

viren-,sm A

R. U. Owens, d. RALPH Ecrans.

nature passage, a

Lv mounted lever pivots

